Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 137310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
It felt funny, walking through it, knowing where every fanbelt was hung, every jug of wiper fluid was shelved, every can of motor oil was stacked.
It was then he realized he got off on being the first one in to open. He got off on being the man they could ask if they had a question about some shit at the register or how long it might take to get a special part from a certain vendor.
He got off on being that guy for his brothers.
It was then, he knew he was going to miss it.
He’d tell Di about that, after he was moved in and settled. She was already tweaked enough about what he was “giving up” for her. He wasn’t going to add to that until she knew he was good, and they were solid.
His phone went with a text when he was leaving Ride to head to the Compound.
Since it was from Di, he stopped to read it.
Maddy just phoned! She’s home with E&E and looking into starting up classes again!!!!!!!!
She added about a dozen double pink hearts and smiley-faces with hearts surrounding them and ended with about two dozen women dancing.
He was hepped up about what was about to happen, but even so, at that news, he grinned and returned, Great news, baby. She phones again, tell her I said hey.
He got, Already did that, when he was halfway through the Compound on his way to the meet room.
He stopped moving again and sent her a blowing-kiss face.
After he did that, he looked around.
The curved bar. The beat-up leather couches. The pool table.
His mom had to find places for them to live where the landlord would take cash and not ask questions. These kinds of people weren’t steady, and often weren’t law-abiding, so they moved often.
Therefore, it was then he realized for the first time in his life, this was home.
It didn’t just feel like home.
It was his home.
The Compound.
The island of Chaos.
This was never gonna go anywhere.
This was never going to change.
This was going to be his, a part of him, a safe place, until he died.
No matter where he was.
But leaving it was going to suck too. Leaving the place, leaving the brothers behind, and he finally understood why Diana was so concerned about him moving.
It didn’t change his mind.
She was his woman.
She was his happiness.
She was his future.
But this was his sacrifice, and it was going to cut.
He shook off his thoughts and focused on what was up next.
They were meeting…for him.
They were meeting to help him exorcise his bio-father.
And he was going to tell them he was moving to Phoenix.
Hugger squared his shoulders and walked the rest of the way to the meet room.
He opened the door and saw they were all there, seated around the big table with the cutout in the middle covered in Plexiglas and filled with the first-ever Chaos flag, their insignia in the middle, their motto, the words Wind, Fire, Ride and Free surrounding it.
The only one not sitting was Hound, who never sat. He always stood, arms crossed on his chest, shoulders and the sole of his boot against the wall, the brothers’ guard dog, always on alert.
Rush was at the head of the table, and Hugger had to pause when he saw a tall stack of plastic-folder-covered-bound paper, like some kind of reports, sitting on the table beside him.
He didn’t know what those were, but considering why they were all there, that stack made him uneasy.
“Good of you to show,” Boz gave him shit for being late.
Hugger went to his chair, one that was situated between Dog and Snapper.
Only when he was seated did he flip Boz the bird.
Boz grinned.
“Right, we’re all here,” Rush said and brought down the gavel.
Hugger tensed.
This was it.
Fuck.
“We got somethin’ to talk about and we all know what it is, but business first,” Rush declared.
With that, Rush stood and started sending those plastic-folder-covered reports flying down the center of the table. Hands shot out to grab them, pass them around, until everyone had one.
Hugger looked at the cover of his, and there was some logo, some firm name under it, and it said:
Market Research Survey
Expansion Project
Ride Auto Supply Store and Garage
Phoenix, Arizona
Hugger felt his throat close tight.
“Have a look at what it says, but I’ll sum up,” Rush began. “Phoenix is growing. One of the fastest growing cities in the US. It’s a biker haven. Also lots of interest in vintage rides and restoration. Good mix of income levels, good mix of generation levels, which means money to spend and people to spend it. They got some factories going up and plenty of housing development underway or planned. Both are only going to mean more growth. It’s ripe for investment and expansion. Also, state tax code is advantageous.”
He turned to the remaining stack of plastic-folder-covered papers and sent them sailing.